This week in class we talked about some symbols we encounter and what meaning they might have. We mentioned cross/crucifix, flag, wedding ring, and some others I've already forgotten. I decided to focus some of my meager mental resources on finding additional common symbols we see/use everyday. The symbol that was most obvious, took me the longest to discover - money!
Our money is simply a symbol of the good credit and faith of the United States government (the people of the USA). It is nothing more than that. Up until the 1970's money was backed by the gold standard. That is, America used to keep enough gold to support our currency. Nixon took us off the gold standard.
Additionally, the dollar is the default currency for world markets. A person is able to trade in any market in the world with dollars. Recently Russia and China, amongst others, have been making suggestions and offering proposals to use/create an alternative default currency.
Last month America came within 48 hours of defaulting on our debt. Had this occured, the value of our money would have been in the toilet. Faith in our nations ability to pay our debts would cease to exist, and, people would be back on the barter system in short order.
There is little doubt that America would survive and continue on, but this default scenario from last month illustrates keenly that money is only a symbol.
The following link is one experts opinion on what a national debt default would be like.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57607477/top-exec-warns-of-armageddon-if-u.s-defaults-on-debt/
there many other opinions like it (ie Treasury Secretary Jack Lew: debt default is "playing with fire").
In essence, our entire market economy hinges on the good faith and credit of the American people and their duly elected representatives, because the money itself has no value - it is a only a symbol.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Monday, November 11, 2013
Sumblog#9 Erving Goffman
While reading our assignment Presentation of Self, I couldn't help but think of all the things in our society that accentuate presentation.
I thought about smart phones and how they're used as status symbols. I thought about Facebook and how it is used to formulate a persona (real or not). And I thought about all kinds of other stuff in general that people don't need, but acquire simply to indentify themselves. These are the "props" Goffman was referring to. They set the stage for our performance.
The performance is us trying to appear to live up to all the many social norms we are faced with. It is the motion of our daily lives, the choices and actions we make. It is why we act one way in front of our friends and a different way in front our parents. As Goffman says: "Because these standards [social] are so numerous and so pervasive, ...individuals are concerned not with the moral issue of realizing these standards, but with the amoral issue of engineering a convincing impression that these standards are being realized". So, generally speaking, we know what the social standards are, and we will try to meet them - if we can pull off the performance. (Some days the audience is unfriendly).
The character aspect of Goffman's theory is what the performance creates. Whether the character is indeed a correct reflection of self is questionable. Regardless, our performance manufactures our character in the eyes of the generalized other. We may be able to internally see (backstage) whether our public persona is accurate or not, but stage front, the show must go on. If the public persona we are crafting meets with our approval, the show is a success. If the generalized other is assigning traits to us that we don't like, then we usually change the script and scenery (props). Very seldom do we change the wizard behind the curtain, our true character.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBOvOatPqnY
I've included this song by Queen because #1. Freddy Mercury was a musical god, and #2. it perfectly exemplifies life as theater. Everybody loves a good show.
I thought about smart phones and how they're used as status symbols. I thought about Facebook and how it is used to formulate a persona (real or not). And I thought about all kinds of other stuff in general that people don't need, but acquire simply to indentify themselves. These are the "props" Goffman was referring to. They set the stage for our performance.
The performance is us trying to appear to live up to all the many social norms we are faced with. It is the motion of our daily lives, the choices and actions we make. It is why we act one way in front of our friends and a different way in front our parents. As Goffman says: "Because these standards [social] are so numerous and so pervasive, ...individuals are concerned not with the moral issue of realizing these standards, but with the amoral issue of engineering a convincing impression that these standards are being realized". So, generally speaking, we know what the social standards are, and we will try to meet them - if we can pull off the performance. (Some days the audience is unfriendly).
The character aspect of Goffman's theory is what the performance creates. Whether the character is indeed a correct reflection of self is questionable. Regardless, our performance manufactures our character in the eyes of the generalized other. We may be able to internally see (backstage) whether our public persona is accurate or not, but stage front, the show must go on. If the public persona we are crafting meets with our approval, the show is a success. If the generalized other is assigning traits to us that we don't like, then we usually change the script and scenery (props). Very seldom do we change the wizard behind the curtain, our true character.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBOvOatPqnY
I've included this song by Queen because #1. Freddy Mercury was a musical god, and #2. it perfectly exemplifies life as theater. Everybody loves a good show.
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